TRIP TO SCOTLAND

by Jenny Skeens

My daughter, Carolyn, and I were able to spend just over a week in Scotland, this year. The main reason for the visit was to be with our family but along the way we were able to visit some interesting places.

Along the Forth rail bridge there is a sign showing how many days were left of the old millenium. We visited the Museum of Childhood in Edinburgh. This charming collection of toys is of interest to all ages. We visited the Southern upland village of Wanlockead, the highest village in Scotland. We were able to tour the lead mine museum there also. Looking around the museum gave an insight into what it would have been like to have been a miner and to have lived one hundred years ago. We were able to visit the new Museum of Scotland, in Edinburgh. When visiting the castle at Falkland, we saw the Skene coat of arms, among others, painted on one of the ceiling panels. The castle has a lovely garden, one of several that we saw in Britain. It was there that the original game of tennis was invented, though it was played differently from the modern game.

Just before leaving Carolyn and I viewed the solar eclipse. We were too far north and east to see the total eclipse. The sky did darken somewhat and we were able to see the effects through a pin hole directed onto cardboard. We took cautious glances at the reflections in a bucket of water. There was a great deal of excitement over the event all over Britain.